Featured subjects

From time to time we will be featuring articles on different subjects relevant to Wales.

Homelessness

Within Wales, homelessness is on the rise.

One element of homelessness is rough sleeping. This is often associated with:

• Drug or alcohol addiction
• Mental health problems
• Prostitution
• Ex-offenders
• Relationship breakdown
• Debt

People sleeping on the streets often stay in city centres, migrating around the country at different times of the year. Most gain some form of income from social benefits. However, some refuse all benefits and others are too chaotic to claim them, consequently using begging as a source of income.

Hostels are common in cities, providing temporary accommodation and food to rough sleepers. However, these struggle with issues of safety, drugs and alcohol abuse.

Although the numbers of people sleeping on the streets is relatively low (approximately 20 in Cardiff), there is the greater issue of ‘hidden homelessness’. There is a common misconception that homelessness is only concerned with people living on the streets, but this does not take into consideration those families or persons placed in temporary accommodation, waiting to be given a council house, or unable to afford private housing.

In September 2005, the numbers of households housed in temporary accommodation, usually Bed & Breakfast, reached its highest ever level:

3,800 households are in temporary accommodation. 1,000 more than 18 months before (‘Inside Housing’ March 2006). Nearly a third of these are single mothers with dependent children.

The government has ruled that B&B’s can only be used to house families for up to 6 weeks (the same as in England). After this alternative housing must be offered.

However, the supply of affordable or social housing is severely limited. Many struggle to buy private sector housing. 1 in 10 people live in homes that are not fit for human habitation.

It is these hidden problems that need to be tackled. Some solutions could be:

• Councils or housing associations building more affordable homes.
• Increasing the availability of affordable private sector homes.

However, voluntary organisations can also help. Working in partnership, they could help to inform people struggling with any related social issues, providing relevant and accessible advice and counsel.

Bethany Thomas, Gweini volunteer

May 2006